Forever Manchester is a charity that raises money to fund and support community activity across Greater Manchester

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Comic Relief Core Strength – Local Communities

CURRENTLY CLOSED

Grants of £1,000 to £5,000

We are excited to announce the launch of Core Strength – Local Communities for 2017/18. This 12-month programme is responding to the growing need of small, locally led groups to cover their day-to-day costs. The aim is to provide funding for groups’ core costs – meaning expenditure that is not connected to delivering projects but focusing on investing in the organisation as a whole, such as basic running costs. We know securing core funding can be tough and want to use this programme to help support those doing much needed work in their local communities.

Criteria

The grant shall be used to support groups that can evidence a sustained beneficial impact on people’s lives who are excluded or disadvantaged. This may be through low income, rural or social isolation, age, disabilities, race, sexuality or gender. Priority is to be given to small, locally based groups or organisations in areas of disadvantage that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community and are undertaking actions to address these needs.

Who can apply?

You must be a locally led and based organisation – based within the area you are carrying out activities and have local people involved in the running of the organisation. We accept applications from the voluntary and community sector including:

Constituted voluntary and community groups

Charities

Social enterprises

Co-operatives

Community interest companies

Your organisation will need to have been running activities for a minimum of 12 months.

Your annual income must be £100,000 or under for your last full financial year. You will need to provide your accounts to prove this.

To be considered for funding you will need to:

Be working in a disadvantaged or deprived area

Have limited access to other sources of income

Clearly define the need you are addressing

Clearly demonstrate the benefit of your activities to local people

Illustrate how you aim to deliver social outcomes

Provide clear evidence that your services provided are inclusive to all

Applications can be made for grants of £1,000 to £5,000 and your core work must reflect at least one of the Strengthening Communities programme outcomes:

Connected communities

Productive communities

Empowered communities

Priorities

It is anticipated that this will be a very competitive programme. Having priorities helps us to make difficult decisions when there are so many applications.

Priority will be given to:

Those that are new to Comic Relief and/or Community Foundation funding

Those in areas of high deprivation

Those in geographically underfunded areas

Those with lived experience, where people directly affected by the issues are involved in all levels of the organisation

Those with innovative approaches, to respond to clearly defined need

Those demonstrating effective practice, with evidence that the methodology being used will be successful

Applying

If you’re not sure if we could consider your application for funding, please contact a member of the Forever Manchester Communities Team and we’ll be happy to help, 0161 214 0940 or email awards@forevermanchester.com.

Please note that due to administrative processes that we must undertake, once submitted it may take up to three months to hear an outcome for your application. As such, please make sure the project is due to start no earlier than three months from the time of applying.